Pre-Islam Arabia ESPIRIT


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5 Pillars of Islam Summary

1st pillar of Islamic Creed-Shahadah it states that there is no God other than god (Allah), to only worship him. Muhammad is his god’s messenger/prophet. As a Muslim, a person should continuous strive into personal and activity aspects towards self, family and community. It also states the idea of 2nd Prayer-Salat in Prayer, every muscle and bone of the body joins the soul and the mind in the worship and glory of Allah. Prayers offering are obligatory to pray at least five times a day in Arabic. Mosques are the house of worship. 3rd Fasting-Sawm Fasting is completely abstained from eating, drinking, from the break of dawn to sunset, they can snack on dates and prayer at the mosque. A person is obligated to fast one day, Ramadan. 4th Charity-Zakah Charity is obligated as an act of worship and spiritual investment of 2.5% cash savings, purifies one's heart from greed/selfishness. It should be done after personal finances. A person should not intend pride or fame.5th Pilgrimage-Hajj At least once in a lifetime; Muslims are obligated to make a pilgrimage to Meccafrom all walks of life, worldwide. It is to glorify Allah, not worship a man. It is a retrace in steps of god’s journey in Mecca.
Almost all the pillars provide a usual practice, Sunnah for Muslims. 2nd with praying five times everyday, is about the idea of continuously strive for personal goals in 1st pillar. It adds a sense of community in the 1st pillar, since it mentions that not only should Muslims have personal and activity aspects towards self but the community. It put an emphasis on the idea. All Muslims praying would build a sense of unity in people’s spiritual aspects. (Community) The 4th pillar relates to hadith. Giving to charity gives people a moral significance, the people are not being greed and keeping all this money. It gives people of community for the wealthy have helping the less fortunate. Also the 3rd pillar relates to the hadith. As Muhammad believe, fasting purifies the body and created a closer connect with god. In fating people often go the mosques to community based rituals in a mosque. 5th pillar relates to the Qur’an for it provides people with specific historical events, people on a journey to understand what long ago to mainly Allah and some of Abraham and Muhammad. When going into Mecca People are provided with the community, everyone dress in the white robes. (People cannot be differentiate and every is equal)
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Documentary notes

Arabic Muhummad born in 500CE, lived with bedouin. Developed early on since his parents died when he was sick. (To look at the poorer side of life and how difference people were treated: The the 4th pillar of Islam about mandatory charity giving) One god, divide unity: no more tribe division Social justice, no matter what ethicity people are/ people shared
Beginning of the Qur’an write for no coruption of the messenge: It was of social and ethical ideas, in Arabic written
He was a merchant
Muslim don’t like god seen as a physical image of god and not favor. Did build sculptures Neither Muhammad since he is not divine like god (Qur’an was the only represention of god/no pictures)
Many people were skeptical that there was an afterlife, damnation of the unjustice. Many people didn’t believe the Qu’ran was a mircle
Economical and social dangered Trade suffered in Mecca from merchants feared muslim Away from the Ka’ba
People who believed in Muslim were scorned and beaten.
Went to Medina (city of prophet) and were religious bounded together
622CE the first year of Islam
Believes god revelations his idea many times, so he supports other religion
Call to pray 1st pillar, unity of god and focuses of life. To pray Muslim down: there were three bloody battles. Muslims were weaker, 130 old men and boy with little weaponary. Mecca 1,000 good weaponry. The city after to Mohammad. After the battle, Muslim became ten thousand strong. For three years
Muhammad did not take revenge on the Mecca but in braised Meccan
He destroy the pagan god and broke tribal system. (Like with all religion) Past to new force.
Muhammad unity all cultures in Arabic Pennisula
Coast line of Mediterranean Sea, China, Spain all direction. Larger than strech Moraco to Indus river 622 to. Spread so quickly people didn’t not like the previous (religion). It was not ruled by a heavy hand. Jews and Christians could retain there former beliefs. Free from clergy.
Tribes: Orally culture (Poets were inportant: It bounded tribes together talk about war and such)
water system which uses gravity
Was said Abraham built the Ka’ba
Mecca would trade spice, linens, silk, (perfum)
Mix of religion Christian, Jews
Muhammad’s wife contract with merchants: influenced and intelligence. Good communication skills. He was (truth) about he fixed conflicts.
Angel in a cave, revelation

Mohammed 578CE, 632CE
Summary: Before the start of Islam, the Arabic Peninsula was not unity with constant wars and battles between bednouin tribes in the area. (Not unity: no religious unity) Between bednouin tribes, it mixed of a mixed of Christian , Judaism, and Benouin religion: a blend of animism and polytheism. In Mecca created Ka'ba a religious shrine. It brought flocks of trader to Mecca, trading and influencing the area's culture. Muhammad was a merchant born in 500CE who saw at difference aspects of life and was influenced by Islam able to have a foothold on the Arabia. He was intelligent man with good communication skills. Muhammad was also a prized poet who first fixed tribe conflicts. (the placing of the black stone) Around 610, Muhammad was in a cave and had revelation and created the miracle of the Qur'an the words of god. He was the messenger of god. The Qur'an was written down to insure that their was not corruption (the only representation of god since in Islam, god does not have a human appearance, he is divine. Muhammad is not divine and only the prophet) Mohammad went to Mecca to spread his new religion. Many people followed and became know as Muslims. Islam created unity in culture in Arabic Peninsula. Not everyone accepted Islam. Many people in Mecca were skeptical that Islam wold provide an afterlife and damnation for injustice. Muhammad was banned from Mecca since social and economical declined traders feared Islam. Muhammad and his follow religious bounded together, went to Medina to spread their religion. (City of Prophet) People in Mecca were threaten by Islam, they invaded and fought to destroy Islam. Islam were at a dis-advance with supplies but managed to defeat the Mecca(ns). Muhammad did not take revenge on Mecca but, appraised them for the battle. In he destroyed the Pagan god and broke tribal system. Islam further spread into the coast lines of Mediterranean Sea, China, Spain, Morocco to Indus River. Islam spread were quickly them any other religion. It was not forceful to convert regions and people could retain former religions from Judaism and Christianity.

Questions P136-143

1.How did the death of Muhammad lead to the Expansion of Islam?
  • After his death, he didn't appoint a successor. (People toke over territories to show control) People elected caliph, Abu Bakr (Muhammad's closest friend). His control became were limited, but very able. He targeted Islamic conversion to bednouin tribes one after another. Lager clans like the Arabian tribes and rival prophets were defeated known as Ridda Wars. He oversaw raids Arabia, Iraq, Stria, and eastward to Eygpt

2.What were the motivations for Islamic conquest?
  • Unity gave them a sense of common cause and strength, that could stand against non-Arab rulers (Barbarians and unwashed) .
  • Possible: communities saw it was a good way release the pent-up energies of the martial bedouin tribes. Warriors were promise a share of riches of raided farmlands.
  • Possible: To glorify the new religion
  • Jihads, holy wars launched to forcibly spread the Muslim faith. (Early Arab expansion)

3.How were the Umayyads able to defeat their adversaries?
Sasanian Empire
  • Sasanian commanders had poorly prepared forces against the Arab invaders.
  • Muslim warriors broken into Sasanian heartland.
  • Muslim victories brought rapid collapse.
  • Sasanian rulers and their forces retreated eastward from the Muslim advances taking over capital. Gernal slain and armies destroyed.
Byzantine Empire
  • Byzantines were weaken from within and exhausted from the long wars fought with Persia, they reeled from Arab assaults.
  • Unity of Bedouin in war fleets
  • Rise of Muslim naval supremacy in the eastern end of the Mediterranean
  • Victories of the Arab invaders greatly reduced Byzantine Empire's strength

4.What caused the major division in Islam?
  • With its success of its armies and its sudden rise in the Arab empire it diverted attention
  • Divisions were long there and the result of personal dislikes/animosities. (the division of the riches from raided lands)
  • It broke into open violence, sparked by the murder of the third caliph, Uthman.
  • Ali supports proclaim him as caliph, Uthman was widely disliked
  • (Early enemies of Muhammad) The Umayyad clan rejected Ali's claim and swore revenge on Uthman's assassins. Mu'awiya was the proclaimed caliph in Jerusalem and their new leader
  • The two factions causes warfare to erupt. (Battle of Siffn) and couldn't comprise
  • Sunnis supported the Umayyads and the Shi'a supported Ali. It remains today.
  • They have differences in belief, ritual and law

5.What was the extent of the Islamic Empire under the Umayyads?
  • Their Muslim armies broke into regions of central Asia and had a rivalry with Buddhism, continuation to present day.
  • Reached to northwest India
  • Swept across to north Africa, the Straits of Gibraltar, conquering Spain(Moores) and threaten France
  • Muslim warriors and sailors dominated the Mediterranean.
  • The empire extended from Spain in the wast to the steppes of central Asia in the east in the 700s.
  • Mecca remained the Islam's holy city, The political center shifted to the communities of Damascus, Syria. Umayyad caliphs built bureaucracy, binding the vast empire
  • Arab conquest state except the Arabian peninsula and areas in the Fertile Crescent.
  • Muslim Arabs were first-class citizens who made the core of armies and imperial administration and a share of riches from ongoing conquest.
  • Muslim Warrior elite were separate from local population. (to prevent subjugated cultures)

6.How were people of the book treated under the Umayyads?
  • Umayyad tried to block extensive between Muslim warrior elite and Non-Muslim. (didn't want intermarry and conquered areas)
  • Voluntarily converted to Islam
  • They didn't receive share of the riches
  • Impossible to get an important position in the army or bureaucracy
  • Not considered full members of umma, only clients of the powerful Arab clans.
  • Also known as dhimmi
  • Muslim overlords generally tolerated dhimmi's religions
  • Payed jizya and other taxes.
  • Communities and legal system remained

7.Explain gender structures under the Umayyads
  • Women's positions had a significant shifts, within the family and in society. It prevailed over seclusion and subordination
  • Muhammad's ideas stressed moral and ethical dimensions of marriage. (n strengthen bonds between husband and wife and replacement for casual, commercial sexual liaisons)
  • Condemned adultery for both husband and wife and Female infanticide
  • Men were allowed to marry up to four wifes, only if he could support and treat all of his wives equality.
  • Women could only marry one but had a greater strength in legal rights in inheritance and divorce.
  • Promoted gender equality
  • In battle woman accompanied forces and were the first martyr.
  • Muhammad's wives and daughters played an important role of compile of the Qur'an
  • Early community, women had active roles on politics, but was not allowed to lead prayers
  • Women didn't were veils and they widely varied in occupation.

8.What factors led to the decline of the Umayyads?
  • Caliphs grow in addiction to luxury and soft living. Its legitimacy was disputed by various Muslim factions
  • Alienated the Muslim faithful, war to pleasurable gardens and marble palaces.
  • Abandoned frugal, simple lifestyle followed by Muhammad and early caliphs, enraging dissenting sects and sparking revolts (Fatal)
  • Mid-8 CE, more than 50,000 warriors settled in Merv, and married local women. As time went on they became identify with the region and resented Damascus dictates of governors sent. They were also not given a share in the riches and saw Umayyads and Damascus elite as corrupt and decadent.
  • In early 740s official introduced new troops to Merv, but it started a revolted over much of the eastern portions.
  • Abbasid party, (descent of Muhammad's uncle) its frontier warriors openly challenged Umayyad armies by 747. Forced alliances with dissident groups of Umayyads. Victories after victories. Shi'a were allies and mawali. (in hopes to attain acceptance in community of believers since they were never recognized as full Muslims)
  • Massive Battle of the River Zab in 750, Abbaisd victor, opening conquest of Syria and the capture of the Umayyad capital.
  • Great,great-grandson of the prophets uncle, Abu al-Abbas wanted to eliminate the Umayyad family to prevent recurring challenges to his rule. In a "reconciliation banquet", camouflage Abbas's troops slaughtered the family. the remaining family members were hunted down and all killed.
  • Former caliph fled to Spain, founded the caliphate of Cordoba. (Living on for many centuries)
  • The Umayyad's empire had disappeared.

Abbasid ESPIRIT